Texas Diocese Goes to Court With Feds Over Border Wall

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BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ChurchMilitant.com) - The U.S. federal government is taking a Texas diocese to court over a border wall. In a statement issued Monday, the diocese of Brownsville said it is opposing the federal government obtaining right of entry to begin the process of constructing a wall on two properties owned by the diocese. Brownsville is located at the southernmost tip of Texas.

The diocese claims the construction of the border wall on the properties "would limit the freedom of the Church to exercise her mission in the Rio Grande Valley, and would in fact be a sign contrary to the Church's mission."

The bishop, Daniel E. Flores, has previously compared deportation of illegals to abortion, even describing deportations as an "intrinsic evil." Such comments are similar to remarks made by other prelates equating prudential judgment issues such as immigration and gun control to moral evils such as abortion.

In June of 2018, the USCCB held its biannual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they discussed revisions to the bishops' document on political engagement, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, to reflect a so-called "seamless garment" approach to Catholic moral teaching. Church Militant's analysis of the seamless garment view can be read here.

It was at the same meeting in Florida that Tucson Bp. Edward Weisenburger suggested canonical penalties for enforcing Trump's immigration policies. The USCCB's Twitter account tweeted out his comments. Weisenburger has all the while not issued any such remarks regarding Democrat Rep. Raul Grijalva, a pro-abortion self-professed Catholic.

Bishop Weisenburger "I also strongly support Cardinal Tobin." "Maybe it's time for us to look for canonical penalties [for those who are involved in separating parents and children at the border]" #USCCB18

In February, the bishops organized a National Catholic Call-In Day to Protect Dreamers, while declaring no equivalent initiative for the unborn. The Chicago archdiocese tweeted a video of Cdl. Blase Cupich calling pro-abort Democrat Catholic Sen. Dick Durbin on the subject of supporting DACA.

Regarding the federal government taking the diocese to court for right of entry, the diocese said they "received official word notifying us that papers have been filed in federal court for the Southern District of Texas in McAllen seeking right of entry on the properties owned by the diocese. The filing in court was not unexpected."

The statement comes shortly after the unveiling of the first completed portion of President Trump's promised border wall, and as a caravan of an estimated 7,000 migrants advances towards the U.S.-Mexico border. On Monday, President Trump tweeted, "Many Gang Members and some very bad people are mixed into the Caravan heading to our Southern Border. Please go back, you will not be admitted into the United States unless you go through the legal process."

Many Gang Members and some very bad people are mixed into the Caravan heading to our Southern Border. Please go back, you will not be admitted into the United States unless you go through the legal process. This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you!

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